This month DEI hype, mental health awareness, emergent learning, and more!
Musings of the Month: DEIB and the Hype Cycle
Has DEIB entered the trough of disillusionment?
Recently, a white colleague expressed reticence about getting involved in DEIB work because people of color (POC) have been pushing back on efforts related to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging (DEIB). They seemed to feel that if BIPOC people are unhappy with this work and our efforts, then we must be on the wrong trajectory. In addition, a colleague of color recently commented on LinkedIn that DEIB efforts are colonizing rather than de-colonizing. Are we on the wrong track? We don’t think so!
Gartner shares that, “in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and a worldwide reckoning about racial injustice, many organizations have taken action to engage with social issues that were previously avoided at work. These include conversations about racial and ethnic injustices, the socioeconomic disparities exposed by the pandemic, and other polarizing themes, many of which overlap with diversity, equity and inclusion.”
“Unsurprisingly, 31.4% of employees report DEI has received more attention within their organizations in the last two years. Organizations’ commitments … have grown, but so has the pushback… Forty-four percent of employees agree a growing number of their colleagues feel alienated by their organization’s DEI efforts, 42% of employees report their peers view their organizations’ … efforts as divisive, and another 42% say their peers resent DEI efforts.”1 These comments along with recent articles pointing out the limited impact of DEIB training on culture change, have us thinking about the Gartner Hype Cycle.
The Gartner Hype Cycle
The Gartner Hype Cycle is a framework that helps to understand the lifecycle of emerging technologies and their potential impact on businesses and society. It consists of five phases:
Technology Catalyst - Some event or breakthrough kicks things off.
Peak of Inflated Expectations - Early publicity produces a number of success stories, often accompanied by scores of failures.
Trough of Disillusionment - Interest wanes as experiments and implementations fail to deliver.
Slope of Enlightenment - More instances of how the technology can benefit the enterprise start to crystallize and become more widely understood.
Plateau of Productivity - Mainstream adoption starts to take off. Criteria for assessing provider viability are more clearly defined.
Dashboarding: a recap!
Remember back in the early 2000’s when data dashboards were the next shiny thing in data science and business? All the hype about how this technology tool would solve so many problems? Providing real time data to leaders at a glance, resulting in data-driven decisions to increase performance, productivity, revenue, and impact. This was a time of inflated expectations for dashboards. Companies rushed into dashboarding and more and more leaders used (or tried to use) them to improve their business.
The reality of the related challenges, like collecting, storing, and updating the right data to sustain reliable and timely dashboards, ushered in the trough of disillusionment by the 2010s. Now, dashboards are one tool in the toolbox for leaders to inform their decisions. We have reached the plateau of productivity.
What if we apply this hype cycle model to DEIB (AKA: DEIA, JEDI, IDEA)?
Think of the catalyst for the emergence of DEIB as George Floyd’s murder, the subsequent civic uprisings, and the COVID pandemic in 2020. Then, the last three years have been a time of inflated expectations for DEIB. Many leaders suggest that creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture will be a panacea for organizations. And there is overwhelming evidence that growing more multicultural and anti-racist organizations is vital to an organization’s success. We know sustaining an equitable organizational culture is ongoing work, needing to be done throughout the life of the organization, not as a one-off investment.
We can guide you through the confusion
With the current layoffs and criticism of DEIB practices for not having the desired impact, we are entering the trough of disillusionment. We want to guide leaders to avoid the mistake of tossing aside DEIB onto the garbage heap with all the other tools and techniques they have tried, claiming that it just did not work, and moving on to the next shiny thing.
We can offer ways to take time to reflect on what worked well and what did not in terms of living into the organization’s mission, vision, and values. This is a time to crystallize how DEIB can truly benefit the organization through deeper understanding of what is possible when theory and practice are aligned with the organization's strategy and to invest wisely in the work for the long-term. The return on investment (ROI) will be increased innovation, revenue, market share, trust, worker and client satisfaction, talent retention, and so much more.
Let us join you in navigating the slope of enlightenment onto the plateau of productivity for DEIB in your organizations and communities!
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May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month
This month recognizes the extraordinary contributions, traditions, and achievements of our AAPI communities
From the vibrant festivals of Lunar New Year and Diwali to the exquisite art of calligraphy and hula dancing, AAPI Heritage Month offers an opportunity to explore and appreciate the tapestry of cultures that make up this vibrant community.
Asian American and Pacific American Heritage Week (officially changed to Asian and Pacific Islander Month in 2009) was created by Congress in early May 1978 to coincide with two milestones: the arrival in the US of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843), and the significant role of Chinese workers in building our transcontinental railroad, completed on May 10, 1869.
The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) was founded in 1982. This volunteer-run non-profit inspires, develops, and connects leaders across industries and communities through networking and educational events, trainings, community service programs, and celebrations of Asian American excellence. It's an amazing resource for professionals and if your company is planning to celebrate AAPI, consider hiring a speaker from this bureau.
Let's come together to honor and uplift the voices and stories of AAPI individuals, while also taking time to savor the delicious flavors of Asian and Pacific Island cuisines. It's a month of celebration, unity, and discovery that reminds us of the beauty of diversity.
Happy AAPI Heritage Month!
#SelfCareCorner
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
Mental health care is vital to the health and well-being of each individual, our families, our organizations, and our communities. Let's support each other in attending to our mental health so we can be vital and strong!
The book and podcast Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears Into Your Leadership Superpower by Morra Aarons-Mele has been a huge asset for Veronica as a leader with an anxiety disorder.
The Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) tells us, “Young people - especially girls - are facing a mental health crisis of their own. Supporting them as they grow and face life’s complexities is a top priority.”
Want to learn more about girls’ mental wellbeing but not sure where to start? Check out this information from GSUSA - Mental wellness starts here. From new activities to training, you’ll find what you need to get started.
Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is even offering a special patch program this month focused on mental health! Over the course of four meetings, Girl Scouts of all ages will learn more about mental health, work to develop mindfulness, and discover how they can be an advocate for those with mental illnesses.
Kudos to the Girl Scouts for making girls of all ages aware of the importance of their mental health!
What’s new at data2insight?
Nina R. Sabarre, PhD thrives at the intersection of evaluation + entrepreneurship
This month we interviewed Nina R. Sabarre, PhD for our featured author series. Nina is the Founder + CEO of Intention 2 Impact, Inc and has over a decade of experience delivering innovative research and evaluation for clients in international development and philanthropy.
Nina shares, “My business partner, Dr. Kathleen Doll, and I are both part of the 2023 Emergent Learning Cohort, and it has been a game changer in our philanthropy work.” Emergent Learning (EL) is a set of principles and practices that help a group of people achieve shared goals by creating a shared line of sight, making their thinking visible, experimenting together, and actively learning from successes and failures.
Learn about Nina, her business, and find out about the many suggestions she has for you.
Celebrations at data2insight
Tomeca Kellogg is now a NEA Certified Entrepreneur!
Our Operations Lead Tomeca Kellogg, has recently earned her certification as a NEA Entrepreneur from the National Entrepreneurs Association, Comerica Bank, and Dell Technologies Bootcamp program. Congratulations Tomeca!!!
The program is intense and comprehensive, covering everything from business planning and financial management to marketing and customer service. The program provides entrepreneurs with invaluable resources and mentorship that have helped Tomeca grow as a small business leader.
“I am excited to take what I have learned and apply it. As an NEA Certified Entrepreneur, I feel confident and equipped to take on any challenge that comes my way,” explains Tomeca.
If you're looking to take your entrepreneurship skills to the next level, we highly recommend the NEA Certified Entrepreneur program.
Book Spotlight
DIE STANDING by Elmer Dixon
The image of Elmer Dixon - holding a rifle on the steps of the Washington state capitol building - is one of the most iconic photographs from the Black Power movement.
Elmer Dixon co-founded the Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party to provide armed patrols to protect Black people from police beatings and killings.
Now, half a century later, Dixon is a popular Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultant for companies, organizations, and universities around the world.
Read his remarkable story, DIE STANDING: From Black Panther Party Revolutionary to Global Diversity Consultant by Elmer Dixon, with a foreword by former Black Panther Party Chairman Bobby Seale.
It will be released in hardcover, paperback and eBook on June 19, 2023 for the Juneteenth holiday.
Consider learning more about Juneteenth and its historical significance!
